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Original poster

Empty shelves

55 replies

forfucksakenett · 05/08/2021 15:07

Apologies if this has been covered but what's with the empty shelves in shops and the 'apologies we're trying to sort our stock levels as quickly as we can' posters. Is this brexit related or something else?

OP posts:

ElephantOfRisk · 05/08/2021 16:27

I was in the supermarket last week and the only empty shelves were the salad and the ice lollies which is similar to it usually is when we've had good weather.

I've noticed that I've not been able to get usual brands in some things and there were no frozen onions, but not really too much of a difference tbh. I'm rarely in the shops though so maybe other people have seen more gaps. Not had too much issue with substitutions on deliveries or click and collect but I guess they are not putting stuff available if they have no sign of stock so again, i might not notice.

What sort of shelves were empty/what types of foods are missing?

ElephantOfRisk · 05/08/2021 16:29

I'd guess it's a mixture of brexit, logistics difficulties due to lack of HGV drivers which is also covid restrictions related. Are people maybe stocking up in case of winter lockdown again by maybe just adding a little extra to their shop each week?

Original poster

forfucksakenett · 05/08/2021 16:47

Different things in different places tbh.

Tesco - all sparkling water with a few signs dotted throughout mentioning stock. The entire sandwich fridge filled with two types of sandwich only when it's usually a full range.
Coop - hard to tell because I don't know their layout (although I thought I did) bit certainly juice of all descriptions (fruit, fizzy, etc) again signs apologising for stock levels
Greggs - empty sandwich shelves and another stock levels sign.

I have been able to get everything I need but I just wondered if this was a blip, a sign of things to come, an anomaly local to me?

OP posts:

HirplesWithHaggis · 05/08/2021 16:49

The Road Haulage Association are warning of total collapse within the next couple of weeks. It's a combination of everything already mentioned, but mostly Brexit imo.

Severncity · 05/08/2021 18:00

There seems to be lots of conflicting reasons given for the empty shelves. I think things are going to get worse, due to the extreme weather/ wildfires going on across the world.

Original poster

forfucksakenett · 05/08/2021 18:03

@Severncity

There seems to be lots of conflicting reasons given for the empty shelves. I think things are going to get worse, due to the extreme weather/ wildfires going on across the world.

I think this is what's worrying me slightly. I must admit it feels like there's something going on. I know that might sound a bit daft 🙈

OP posts:

florafoxtrot · 05/08/2021 18:12

Had a good few substitutions with shop this week and a lot of stuff unavailable.

Also oddly noticed milk is going off much quicker than usual? Wondered if it was my fridge but my neighbour said the same.

ShowOfHands · 05/08/2021 18:15

@florafoxtrot

Had a good few substitutions with shop this week and a lot of stuff unavailable.

Also oddly noticed milk is going off much quicker than usual? Wondered if it was my fridge but my neighbour said the same.

Weirdly, I've been saying the same and a colleague remarked on it earlier this week. How strange that other people have experienced the same with milk.

Original poster

forfucksakenett · 05/08/2021 18:19

Could that be weather related though? I have too but assumed it was because it was warm.

OP posts:

florafoxtrot · 05/08/2021 18:51

I guess it could be @forfucksakenett… but it’s not something I’ve been aware of before.

Original poster

forfucksakenett · 05/08/2021 18:55

Very true.

My local coop looks like it's closing down. Fresh food seems okay but the longer life items - chocolate, crisps, juice, cereal are barren or bare.

OP posts:

budgun · 05/08/2021 19:01

I don't understand why Brexit would affect stock levels now but not previously. I thought the shortages were to do the isolation rise.

ElephantOfRisk · 05/08/2021 19:01

I don't know about milk, we never get near the use buy date, I bought 20 pints (already had about 3 left at that point) on Saturday and just had to nip out for more as my shopping isn't booked until Saturday morning and there is barely a pint left. So, that was nipping into the co-op for that plus some bread/rolls and fresh fruit. Shelves seemed okay ish but i caught the end of a tannoy saying about stock hoping to resume shortly or something. The only really empty bit I noticed was the sandwich bit but that's possibly just because of the time of day and the milk was a bit lighter in stock than usual but still enough. I wasn't in the chocolate, crisps or cereal aisles though. Not that I don't eat it, I'm not that good , just because I already have enough.

wormshuffled · 05/08/2021 19:04

I was in Sainsburys yesterday and there were whole sections empty. They have even made some cardboard fillers to try to cover the bare shelves...
It was all kids of different stuff. Cereals, tins, biscuits. Fresh was better.

ElephantOfRisk · 05/08/2021 19:07

I guess as relatively unfussy adaptable adults, we should be able to feed ourselves with something so not worried yet. I have just done my cat food shop a tad earlier than usual as she is a fussy bugger. I luckily don't have to worry about allergies or someone with a restricted diet.

TheGenealogist · 05/08/2021 19:10

It's nothing to do with Brexit, or the weather. It's the "pingdemic" - lots of people being told to isolate as contacts and not go to work.

www.ft.com/content/1bdef6b5-672d-46e0-9502-492a432a51af

niceupthedanceagain · 05/08/2021 19:12

We've noticed dog food and pitta bread has gone missing 👀

DaisyDozyDee · 05/08/2021 19:13

There’s a major shortage of HGV drivers. It’s partly the effects of Brexit, but it’s been made worse by the suspension in driving tests due to Covid, so people couldn’t be trained up to fill the vacancies.

tigger1001 · 05/08/2021 19:19

Our local co-op has really struggled with stock in the last few weeks but I've just been to Aldi and not an empty shelf in sight.

Orf1abc · 05/08/2021 19:24

There's a good explanatory here. Covid plus Brexit = a perfect storm.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/57810729

MarshaBradyo · 05/08/2021 19:26

@budgun

I don't understand why Brexit would affect stock levels now but not previously. I thought the shortages were to do the isolation rise.

Me too

PollyRoe16 · 05/08/2021 19:32

It's all to do with a massive shortage of HGV drivers. Both because they're aren't enough young people opting for it as a career and because they all keep getting pinged by NHS track and trace

HirplesWithHaggis · 05/08/2021 19:36

And because EU drivers went home, and it's not financially viable for them to do the hauling.

Original poster

forfucksakenett · 05/08/2021 21:59

[quote Orf1abc]There's a good explanatory here. Covid plus Brexit = a perfect storm.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/57810729[/quote]
Thanks for that. Makes sense. Worrying though. Especially a potential Haribo shortage. Only half kidding.

OP posts:

HarrisMcCoo · 06/08/2021 07:13

Couldn't get my usual jam in Aldi. lots of shelves bare last week.

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